Listen For The Answer

"A merry heart doeth good like a medicine;

but a broken spirit drieth the bones."

Proverbs 17:22

One of the best parts of being a child is the sensitivity to touch and feel.  People are always wanting to hold and to touch us.  Daily we get rubbed all over with soap and  water while  our tender scalp gets gently massaged.   People pay attention to us whether we are making sense or not.  Even if they use a stern voice, we know they will be laughing soon after.  We feel soft material against our skin and we are alerted by our sense of smell to detect fragrances and odors.    Even our hearing alerts us to voices becoming harsh or a noise later known as sobbing.  

We eventually are encouraged to not be so thin skinned and to stop being so sensitive.  What happens is we begin to ignore what our senses tell us, and begin to think our way through life.  Our bodies may be sending us an alarm, and yet we talk ourselves out of being a 'scaredy cat'.  Desiring approval,   we tend to accept what others tell us and second guess what we are feeling.

A newly born infant who does not react and prosper in life by experiencing the senses,  is termed 'failure to thrive'.   As adults, we know from all fields of study isolation is not good for the soul.  Those who lack experiences in life to be nurtured and validated lose the will to live.

If one pays attention, one notices both children and elders hug a lot.  They reach out for connection.  At either age, young or old, the senses need stimulation.  In any place in time, we can thrive if we can hear encouragement, feel kindness, and have our fears soothed.  

If we find ourselves in a void, we can reach out for hugs or freely give hugs.  We can receive full body massages or if one feels more safe, a foot or scalp massage.  We can gain the sense of comfort by purchasing an extra soft throw to use on winter evenings or install a motion detector light by a porch.  Maybe even reward ourselves by adopting a pet begging to be held, touched, and encouraged.

Other options may be the ad for a Muni Performance.  We may remember a little town having its annual fair.  Some one mentions a new art gallery peaking our interest.  Class schedules arrive in the mail at local universities.  There are so many ways we can nurture ourselves, and it takes the slightest effort to engage.

Take a slow walk out side.  Feel the sunshine on our face or a breeze slipping through our hair.  Smell the fragrance of flowers and listen to the rhythmic sound of a sprinkler.  Gently ask, 'what do I need' or 'what would make me feel happier'?     

Then listen for an answer.  

The answer may not be immediate, but it will come.